Kobe wants redemption for Phil Jackson

Kobe Bryant hated to see Phil Jackson retire two seasons ago. Not only because it meant the end of a great championship run for Bryant, who won five NBA titles with Jackson, but because of the way it ended.

The Dallas Mavericks swept the defending NBA champions out of the 2011 playoffs and Jackson into retirement with a 122-86 embarrassment in Game 4 of the Western Conference semifinals. Bryant scored 17 points on a gimpy leg in Jackson's finale and that is what has lingered with the Lakers star.

"The one thing that's always bothered me is that his last year I wasn't able to give him my normal self because I was playing on one leg and it's always eaten away at me," Bryant said after Friday's 101-77 victory against Golden State. "The last year of his career, I wasn't able to give him everything I had."

Bryant could have a shot at redeeming himself should Jackson return as the Lakers coach. The Lakers fired Mike Brown and reportedly have reached out to Jackson.

"He's too great of a coach to have had to go out that way," Bryant said. "That's my personal sentiment. Like I said, for me, I took it to heart because I couldn't give him everything I had physically because my knee was shot. That's always kind of bothered me."

Bryant said he believes Jackson won't come back to coaching unless he's 100 percent healthy. Jackson had knee replacement surgery a year ago and is said to be feeling great.

"If he physically up to doing it … if he feels like he can, he would be interested," Bryant said.